Review: Pop's Place

(Credit: Joseph Lord)

In Germantown and Schnitzelburg, it's hard to go even a couple blocks without running smack dab into a neighborhood bar. The plethora of hole-in-the-walls in that area is outnumbered only by the shotgun houses lining the streets. And while many of the watering holes are mainstays peopled by Norms who've had their own barstools since Reagan took office, a few new joints have popped up in the past few years.

The newest — Pop's Place — opened just a month ago across the street from the hulking brick building that used to house the Louisville Antique Mall on Goss Avenue.

Tucked in a quaint, non-descript brick building with only a humble light-up sign to grab the attention of passers-by, it's not the kind of place that's going to see a great deal of foot traffic — and that's fine with owner Sandy Sexton. She just wants to give folks in the neighborhood another place to grab a beer, have a good time and share in a little community.

Early on a recent Wednesday evening, my girlfriend and I popped into Pop's, which is named for Sexton's father, for a look-see.

We were surprised right away by how spacious Pop's is. The front room houses the bar, three touch-screen machines and a few tables scattered along the wall; the decent-sized middle room is large enough to handle a crowd comfortably and is where Pop's has been hosting live music on the weekends. In the rear of the building is a small game room, which on our visit held a dart board, a pinball machine and a foosball table. (Sexton said she's getting a ping-pong table soon, and moving the foosball out.)

There are definitely cons of stepping into an establishment as young as Pop's. It can take a while for a business to work out the kinks and gets all the puzzle pieces plugged in properly: For instance, Pop's doesn't yet have any draft beer (Sexton said a few selections are coming as soon as she gets a couple kegerators) or liquor (they're getting a license early next year). And though they've got a few bagged snack items to choose from, there's no pub grub, so you might want to grab a bite before your visit. Also, they don't yet accept credit or debit cards, so hit the ATM on your way.

Bellying up the bar, we ordered from the modest beer selection (14 as of our visit), I with a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale ($3.25) and my girlfriend a good ol' American Coors Light ($2).

On the positive side of going to such a new bar, though, it's exciting to see the groundwork of what might be your favorite joint in a year's time. What Pop's is lacking in amenities right now, it makes up in promotions (live music, free wi-fi) and drink specials (canned beer is $1 on Mondays; domestic beer is $1.50 on Wednesdays). She even has plans for theme nights, like karaoke and beer pong.

So if there's something that Sexton's not short on, it's ideas. And once all the pieces fall into place, Pop's will be a great addition to the scene.

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